Critic Reviews

MobyRanks are listed below. You can read here for more information about MobyRank.

92

GamingIllustrated.com

Little Inferno is a spectacular title and certainly one that Wii U and PC gamers alike should give a look. It features a seemingly simple story, at first, but it gets more complicated and intriguing as the game progresses. The gameplay is addicting, fun and becomes more sophisticated than first glance. Little Inferno’s graphics are charming and beautiful while containing excellent sound design and music. The game ends up doing plenty of things extremely well; in addition, it has an uplifting and cathartic ending that has a great sense of whimsy and wonder. Little Inferno is well worth the price of admission.

So is Little Inferno a game? I'd wager that it doesn't even matter. Adopting the rigid structure of a more traditional game would do more harm than good in its case. Little Inferno is terrific the way it is, and doesn't need to conform just to fit inside a box. In the end, it’s enough to just snuggle up around the fire and keep it well fed.

Little Inferno is unlike any game I’ve played. It has a big heart that blends perfectly with its dark tones and simple gameplay scope. Days removed from playing it, I’m still thinking about it. I’m recommending it to my friends who love Braid, Unfinished Swan, and Journey. I’m telling my coworkers it’s one of the nicest surprises of the year. It’s one of those games that breaks free from standard video game conventions. Play it, discuss it, and enjoy it. I sure did.

It might not last you much more than 3-5 hours, but Little Inferno is a joyous experience full of charm and wit, and it’s cheap too, whichever platform you buy it on. Whatever you end up thinking of it, you won’t be able to put it down, and it’ll more than likely stay with you for a while too.

Like many indie games, Little Inferno doesn’t take players on a grand adventure; rather, this game offers a little slice of a much larger picture. It is a dark picture that you’ll only discover by actually reading the letters from Miss Nancy, Sugar Lumps, and the Weather Man. For that reason, many people will either dislike intensely or just won’t get this game inspired by the Christmas Yule Log. Little Inferno is most likely to be regarded as a guilty pleasure for partially reformed pyromaniacs, like myself. The revelations of the bleak world in which the game takes place are the only lasting reward for completing it, though the game will have you secretly laughing at a number of the incinerations.

You might think that Little Inferno sounds boring, but even though it willfully and intentionally wastes your time, it's not a waste of time itself. The creepy atmosphere, the single-minded focus on extremely minimal actions, and the mocking self-awareness all contribute to a deft statement on games and how we play them. And even though it gleefully wastes our time, it doesn't waste too much of it – it might take you a few hours to complete, even with a healthy bit of screwing around.

Little Inferno is a surprising game. It's surprising both for the simplicity of its concept ("burn things"), and for the fact that such a coherent and lovingly crafted experience has been built around that idea. It's also surprisingly different from what we traditionally think of as a game, and because of that, it isn't for everyone. But players drawn to the flame will find a fun, funny, and even moving experience in Little Inferno. It's a lot like setting some of the game's more spectacularly flammable objects ablaze, actually; a fast burn, but beautiful while it lasts.

People burn symbols like flags and books to demonstrate dissent, but what does it mean to burn a Handheld Fireplace in a Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace? Spare an afternoon and fifteen dollars and you might find out. You can treat Little Inferno like a bedtime story or a three-hour movie, but remember that at its heart, Little Inferno is a game about games. It will make you think about what you do in games, the purpose of games, and the future of games, so sit tight, think hard, and keep burning those toys.

Little Inferno is almost impossible to review, period. Anything I say that would definitely sell you on the game would ruin part of the magic for you. However, if you are a patient person who is also looking for a beautiful story that is woven throughout performing a rather silly task, or are just a pyromaniac, ignore the below score: the game is for you.

It’s just such a gamble, though, that I can’t readily recommend this. Little Inferno looks nice, tells a unique story and will perhaps be seen by some as a triumph in experimental design. But it’s not really a video game, so feel free to forget this freaky fireplace.